MotorCity Mafia

The biggest laydown of my poker life? Laying down pocket aces on the flop. Here is what happened.

A loose player in early position that sees every flop and calls just about every bet raises to $25 preflop.

The player, not a very good player at that, next to him re-raises to $50.

I am on the button with A-A. I re-raise to $100.

Everyone folds except the two raisers.

The flop comes A-Q-J rainbow.

The first player bets out $75.

The second player raises to $150.

I am staring at top set with two calling stations in the hand.

I am thinking one of them has a straight or a straight draw. There is no way I can bet either player off a straight draw.

I fold. Yes, I folded a set of aces on the flop.

Turn card is a 7. The first player goes all-in. Second player calls.

The river is a king.

First player shows pocket 10’s for a straight on the river.

The second player shows A-Q for two pair.

I had both players crushed until the river card. I got away cheap.

But laying down pocket aces when I flopped top set still breaks my heart.

Pocket queens and A-Q suited used to rank high on my favorite hands list.

Today, I have officially removed any and all queens from list of playable hands.

After last night, I may change my name to Bad Beat Bob.

Here is why:

In a five hour span, I had five playable hands, in order:

1. A-K spades
2. A-K diamonds
3. A-Q hearts
4. Q-Q
5. Q-Q

I saw a cheap flop with A-K spades. The board was all red low cards and alot of action before me. I folded.

I called a $15 pre-flop bet with the A-K diamonds from the button. I am not a big fan of A-K, but the $3000 royal flush hand was diamonds.

The flop was Qd-Jd-7s. I needed any diamond for the nut flush, any 10 for a straight, and the 10d for the royal.

A friend of mine bet $40. I put her on K-Q. I did not want to draw on a made hand so I folded. I showed. She showed K-Q.

My reads were spot on all night.

Next comes the A-Q hearts hand on the button for three way action. The flop is A-9-3 rainbow.

First player, a tight player, goes all-in. I put this Grandma on a strong ace. The second player also goes all-in. He is a very loose donkey that I put on a weak ace.

So, I am staring at the case ace on the flop with a great kicker. No way either player has A-K. I have them both covered and call.

Grandma and I immediately turn our hands over. She has A-J. Donkey boy does not show.

Fourth and fifth streets are blanks.

Donkey boy slow rolls A-9 offsuit. Some guys just get lucky.

Then comes Q-Q on the button. Long story short, half my chips are gone from a river King in heads up action with A-K.

Three hours later I get my next playable hand. Q-Q on the button.

I raise 10X the big blind to protect the hand.

Everyone folds except for a calling station from middle position that just made his third rebuy in an hour.

I know he is weak, so I push on the flop of 9-6-2 rainbow.

He calls.

I immediately show my hand.

Calling station is too embarrassed to show his hand until the river is dealt, which was a blank like the turn.

He shows me 9-6 offsuit for two pair.

My queens were not only cursed, I got slow rolled to boot.

I am divorcing the cursed queens.